Invasive aspergillosis (IA), characterized by hyphal invasion, destruction of pulmonary tissue and dissemination to other organs, is the leading cause of both nosocomial pneumonia and death in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) with an estimated infection rate of 5 to 10% and an associated mortality rate of 90 to 100%. The most important risk factor for IA has historically been neutropenia, such that reconstitution with myeloid progenitors offered protection against IA in a murine model of allogeneic BMT. However, recent studies on the epidemiology of IA in BMT recipients indicated a reduced neutropenia-related infection and an increase “late-onset” infection, in concomitance with the occurrence of graft versus host disease.
There is a need in the art for methods of treating Asperigillus infection.